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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CREACHLE, CREICHLE, CREIGHLE, C(h)rechle, Crichle, n. and v. Also crickle. Cf. Craighle, Croichle, Cruichle. [krixl, krɛxl, krɪxl]

1. n. A short, dry cough (Lnk.¹¹ 1940); “a roughness in the throat” (Kcb.¹⁰ 1940); “a wheeze or audible irritation in the throat” (Arg.¹ 1929, crichle).Edb. 1915 J. Fergus Sodger, etc. (1916) 18:
It wasna just a creachle nor forbye was a' a kink.Gsw. 1985 Anna Blair Tea at Miss Cranston's 183:
Another wheezy crickle that sounded alarm-bells was the croup.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
crickle, cricklin, crittle, crittlin a nervous cough.Kcb.¹ 1940:
You've a bad crechle in your throat the day.

2. v. To cough huskily or hard, to wheeze (Arg.¹ 1940; Rnf.¹ c.1920, crichle; Lnk.¹¹ 1940; Ayr.⁴ 1928, creichle, crechle). Vbl.n. creighling; ppl.adj. chrechlin', wheezy.Arg. 1923 “H. Foulis” Hurricane Jack 107:
But to tell ye the truth I didna like yon chrechlin' cough ye had since ye went afore the Tribunal.Ayr. 1822 Galt Steam-boat 287:
What a creighling the creature made, raxing and hauding its sides.